INVESTIGATIONS continued today into what caused an explosion which flattened a house in Marsden.

Gas officials were still at the scene, examining the surrounding pipe system.

Five members of a family, including a 90-year-old woman, had a miraculous escape when the house in Towngate was torn apart by the blast on Wednesday afternoon.

Amelia Everill, 90, and her daughter, Gladys Woodhead, 62, suffered burns.

Mrs Everill was described as poorly, but stable, today. Her daughter is satisfactory.

Towngate, which lies about 100 yards from the centre of Marsden, remains closed while a the probe continues.

A spokesman for gas pipeline operator Transco said: "We are working with the Health and Safety Executive to investigate the cause of the incident.

"That started yesterday. We are still fairly early on into the investigation."

The spokesman said there had been no reported smell of gas made to Transco before the explosion.

Mrs Everill's grandson, Geoffrey Woodhead, and great- granddaughters Ellie, six, and Chloe, four, escaped the wrecked house.

They were treated for shock, and all five victims were taken to Huddersfield Royal Infirmary.

Mrs Woodhead and Mrs Everill were later transferred to the specialist burns unit at Pinderfields Hospital, Wakefield.

Work has yet to start removing what remains of the house.

The premises, which partially collapsed into an adjoining beck, have been fenced off.

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